Matthew

The Gospel according to Matthew is the first to occur in the bible. The early church believed it was the first written, this is still debated to this day. The Gospel, according to Matthew was originally penned in Hebrew and was later translated to Greek.

Matthew himself was a disciple of Jesus, his calling began one day when Jesus saw Levi, the son of Alpheus sitting at a tax collector’s booth. Tax collectors were considered sinners for selling out their people to the Romans. They were a hated portion of society, lower than drunks and prostitutes. They were considered antinationalistic, anti-Jewish, betrayers, treasonous to the cause of Israel. It was widely thought of at the time to be an extortionate profession. Matthew was calling himself, his younger self – Levi, a terrible sinner. However, Matthew says that when Jesus said “Follow me” he said it to Matthew. (Matthew 9:9) The implication is that Jesus forgave him his sins, the worst of society. Also notice he doesn’t say that Jesus called Levi, such as the accounts in the other gospels, but rather Jesus saw and talked to Matthew who got up and followed him.

Matthew was Levi, the tax collector, but he sets a wonderful example in the way he portrays it. Jesus talked to the new man, not the old one. It was the new man that got up and followed. This is the example that was set for us. Matthew got up from his seat and he followed, without question, the call of Jesus.

It is widely accepted that The Gospel of Matthew was written to the Jews, for the Jews, with a focus on the fulfillment of the Old Testament. It uses quotes from the Old Testament sixty two times, (more than any other Gospel). He does not explain Jewish Culture as some of the other gospels do, reinforcing the argument that he was writing to the Jewish reader.